This blog follows me, Raewyn MacG, around (hopefully) the world. Currently, I am based in back in New Zealand having returned from JET in August 2010. Still traveling, still having adventures, just not as many.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

So I've been plodding along thinking that music is just music buuuuuuut sometimes a friend will come along who points out that no no it is not just the music.

One must occasionally think carefully about the lyrics of the songs one listens to.

Usually they are innocuous but sometimes they can endorse things that might not be the best thing. Eminem is notorious for courting controversy in his lyrics and no one would want to be associated with some of the things that he is associated with.

No one would have suspected that New Zealand's beloved Brooke Fraser would be such an artist. I am not talking about the kinds of stuff that Eminem ends up in the media for. No sirs and madams I am talking about being on her high horse! My friend so kindly pointed out to me this weekend that if you listen to Brooke Fraser's song "Betty" and are a single/unmarried career woman you are listening to something that by rights should offend you.

My friend persuaded me that this song is about career women. When you look at the lyrics (below) we have reference to designer clothing, stiletto heels, a serious stare, a fool proof plan for a lonely life, not desiring to be a wife and expectations.

It could be seen in another way, that 'Betty' is hiding behind her ambition and that her personality doesn't come through because of that but it could also be seen as this: 'Betty' has too much ambition and should want to settle down.

Not everyone wants that, not everyone is ready for that, not everyone needs that, not everyone is destined for that. Just because Ms. Fraser has both does not mean that she needs to be so condescending to those who either don't want both or have not been able to achieve both.

I, for one, won't be buying anymore of her albums. I don't like the message that this song sends to girls who might want to be career women one day. I, also, like my Click Clack Shoes, thank you very much! Brooke upset me this time, sorry Ms Fraser!

Lyrics:

You got a quick snap-lock on your cold, cold heartYou got your YSL kicks and a red birthmarkIn the shape of CanadaThat you try to keep a secretYou got a quick clack walk and a cold hard stareAnd if your eyes could talk they'd say they just don't careBefore they wander offTo hide inside their socketsYou've got your scars and you've got your birthmarksYou've got Toronto hiding on your hip, honeyYou've got your secretsYou've got your regretsDarling, we all doYou got a fool-proof plan for a lonely lifeYou won't be no one's daughter and no drunk man's wifeIf a wife at allIt's a silly institutionOr so you keep insistingYou've got your scars and you've got your birthmarks[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/betty-lyrics-brooke-fraser.html ]You've got Toronto hiding on your hip, honeyYou've got your secretsYou've got your regretsDarling, we all doYou're cool coy, 'bout your strawberry hipIt's you that's hidden by the expectationsWe want to see you, won't you show us where to start?You're talking trash with your replica lipsIt's you that tickle in the conversationSweet Betty, won't you show us who you are?You've got your scars and you've got your birthmarksYou've got Toronto hiding on your hip, honeyYou've got your secretsYou've got your regretsDarling, we all doYou've got a quick snap-lock on your cold, cold heart

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Soooo, last Thursday was 6 months since I finished my Assistant Language Teacher position in Takaoka, Toyama, Japan...

I still have no job! I have an unconfirmed job that currently has no start date (though I can take a rough guess) and no confirmed wage (though I can take a rough guess at that too) and know that this job is only for first semester of university this year. All that is fine. I don't mind being on vacation indefinitely but I do mind not being a productive citizen. So, I am enrolled at university this year with the aim of getting a qualification that will actually get me a job.

One problem with the university thing though is that the head of the program has gone on his vacation for that summer or is doing research overseas for the summer or something. So, my actual course of study for the year is still largely unconfirmed too. I know what half of what I am doing is: classes! The other half might be more classes but it might also be research, I have no idea.

Another maaaaajor problem that I am having at the moment is that there is static on my parents' phone line. BOTH lines running into our house have static on them. The line was switched the other day but still the same problem. It has taken 3 months for the company to even come out and have a look at it much less fix it, which they thought they had done but clearly have not. This problem causes us to be online then offline then online then offline in a way that my mother says she never even experienced living in a much less developed country.

Going from super fast fibre optic internet to the much slower internet in NZ that has data caps has been hard enough but to annoy other people because the line maintenance hasn't been done for years seemingly is not good.

Sorry if you see me popping up online then offline then online then offline then online then offline all day. It's not my fault. Sorry sorry.